Workers have nearly finished weeks of repairs and inspections to ensure that rain will not get inside the 24-story tower and adjoining courthouse buildings.

But a builder, who would speak only on the condition that he not be identified for fear of losing his job, said leaks won't be easily repaired.

He said the problem is extensive and that hundreds of feet of seams between concrete panels and the large window assemblies - called ''curtain walls'' - share defects where leaks occur.

''There isn't a curtain wall that doesn't leak,'' he said.

Structurally, the tower is a brute, built with concrete beams and columns and brawny enough to support dozens of crowded courtrooms.

Though work is months late and potentially millions of dollars over budget, builders say the courthouse is well-built and that leaks are an exception to its quality.

During tests in January, a consultant for courthouse builder Morse Diesel International Inc. of New York found that water was penetrating seams between metal window frames and concrete panels of the courthouse exterior.

The inch-wide seams are filled with three passes of caulking, which cost about $750,000, and is thought by designers and county officials to be more than sufficient.

''It's a damn good system,'' McGowan said.

The county says most responsibility for fixing flaws, including leaks, lies with Morse Diesel. But working out construction issues has been a challenge.

Orange County and Morse Diesel, hired to manage nearly all aspects of construction, have had a rocky relationship since soon after work began in 1994. The county threatened to fire the builder early this year.

Now the builder and the county are preparing to battle each other in court over who pays for extra project costs.

Courthouse workers say the county, Morse Diesel and subcontractors have been slow to resolve issues because they are careful in avoiding blame for delays or extra costs.